Page 41 of A Viscount's Stolen Fortune

Lord Montague immediately began to splutter.

“You cannot do such a thing!”

His eyes were wild, darting around the room as if trying to find some way to escape. There was no bravado now.

“Can I not?” Lord Foster lifted an eyebrow. “I think you will find that I will do a great many things if I have to.”

Lord Montague shook his head, planted both hands on his hips and lifted his head.

“I shall not do it. You may use as much strength as you like, but I shall not give you back your fortune. You cannot demand it of me. You cannot force me. David may injure me so severely that I find myself without any strength whatsoever, but I still shall not sign your fortune back to you.”

There was a slight tremble to his voice, but his words were determined.

Alice’s heart sank. She did not much like the use of violence, but in this circumstance, that seemed to be the only threat which Lord Montague might have responded to. Now it seemed that even that was not going to work.

“I did not suggest that David would use force. Not physical force, at least.”

As Alice watched, Lord Foster meandered his way towards Lord Montague, closing the distance between them. His posture was relaxed, and he appeared to be very calm indeed. There was more to this plan of his, Alice realized. She ought not to have doubted for a second.

“Then you admit you have no sway here?” Lord Montague laughed, trying to regain his cocky demeanor. “You can do nothing.”

Lord Foster spread out both hands wide.

“Given that David has been your manservant, might you take a moment to consider just how much he knows about you and all of your undertakings?”

All the air left the room. There was clearly a great threat in such words, for Lord Montague’s smile fixed itself in place as his eyes widened. Alice had very little idea as to what a gentleman such as Lord Montague might spend his time doing, but she considered that it would not be in any way proper nor upright.

“And what if such news spread through London? What would happen then?” Lord Foster dropped his hands to his side. “A gentleman would face more than one duel; do you not think? And there is no promise that he would always be the crack shot. There would be the chance of him losing his life in one such match.”

“I suppose that would depend on how good a shot he is.”

Lord Wiltsham, who had remained mostly silent up until this point, crossed both arms and shrugged, keeping his eyes pinned to Lord Montague. Alice looked from one gentleman to the next, finally returning her gaze to Lord Montague. He was paler than she had ever seen him, staring at Lord Foster as if he had not realized just how much strength was in the gentleman’s character. Lord Foster was standing quietly, tilting his head to one side as he waited for Lord Montague’s reply.

It came soon after.

“I shall return your fortune to you at once.” The man was spluttering again. “At this very moment, in fact. David, come.”

He turned, but the broad-shouldered man did not follow.

“David is no longer in your employ. He is in mine.” Lord Foster smiled, and David flashed a quick grin back in return. “Assured that I would regain my fortune, he will have a better wage and better circumstances than if he remained with you. Listen to me closely, Lord Montague: you will return every single coin to me. Everything that you do between this moment and the return of my fortune will be carefully watched, and if there is even a single thing that is questionable, then some of your darkest secrets will be revealed to the biggest gossips amongst theton.”

Lord Montague was a different character from the man who had stood there only a few minutes ago. His head dropped, his shoulders hunched, and he nodded, realizing that he had no other option but to agree. There came no words of rebuttal, no choking laugh which took the whole room in its power. Instead, he was a shadow of who he had been, broken by Lord Foster’s wisdom and determination.

Alice had never felt as much relief as in this moment. Her heart ached to be close to Lord Foster again, to rest her head upon his shoulder, to put her arms around his neck so that he might hold her tight to him, but instead she remained precisely where she was, watching as Lord Montague left the room.

Lord Foster had won.

* * *

“I did thinkthat I asked you to remain behind the door.”

Alice stepped forward, only now becoming aware of how much her legs were trembling.

“I did try, she admitted, “but when I saw David approaching, I had to do something.” When the man in question glanced at her, Alice gave him a quick smile, aware of the mounting heat in her face. “I am sorry. I did not realize that he was working with you, Lord Foster, not against you.”

“I did not tell anyone. The truth was that I was a little uncertain as to whether David was going to accept my offer. I am very glad to see that he did, however. Turning, he held out one hand towards David, who immediately grasped it. Alice sighed happily as the two men shook hands.

“I should follow Lord Montague. Excuse me.”

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